English soccer fan banned for racist gesture

SUNDERLAND, England — A soccer fan in England has been banned from attending games for three years because he made a racist gesture toward a black player during a game last season.

Court officials said Liam Jones admitted causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by making a monkey gesture at Romelu Lukaku while watching Sunderland lose 4-2 to West Brom last November.

Jones, who first pleaded not guilty to the charge, had been photographed in the stands making the gesture after Lukaku scored. A trial had been due to take place next month but at a hearing last week Jones entered a guilty plea.

Lukaku, one of the Premier league's top scorers last season, is back at Chelsea after he scored 17 goals on loan at West Brom last season.